Wherever you go in Colombia you are likely to find casinos or gambling halls named after any of the brand products marketed by Universal de Casinos S.A. (UNIDELCA).

It is just over 12 years since Unidelca was established as a gaming operator in this buoyant South American country. Like everywhere else, where political upheaval is to the fore, Colombians are mostly seen as bandits, guerrillas, drug barons, etc. The truth, however submerged it is, shows a country that is rapidly leaving behind such negative tags.

From the magical aroma of its coffee beans, through the luscious flowers, to the effervescent lyrics and music from diva Shakira, Colombia has everything desirable under the sun. Not for nothing was this country the El Dorado of adventurers’ dreams, there is not only real gold in the majesty of its Andean mountains but also golden sunshine on its Caribbean beaches.

True gold, though, is found in the mettle of the Colombian people, who have seen decades of strife yet emerge into the 21st century with a winning mentality and a passion exemplified by the country’s achievements and industry. The administration of President Alvaro Uribe, reelected in a landslide election a few months ago, has targeted the tourist industry as one of the engines to enhance production, and for this has enacted a law giving 30- and 15-year breaks on hotel building and refurbishment respectively.

No wonder the world’s major hotel chains are taking up strategic positions in the country. Local investors are not left behind and UNIDELCA in particular, as the leading gaming operator in the country, has been motivated into putting real bucks into construction projects, not just for casinos but for entertainment complexes with hotels, shopping centres and live shows.

CARIBE, CONDADO, HAVANA AND REAL GAME

Since 1994, Unidelca has become the leading operator of casinos in Colombia, with 52 locations in the most attractive towns of this country. It is only this year, however, that Carlos Quintero, Unidelca president, decided to put into effect a marketing strategy to create four major product brands to distinguish the company’s properties.

The Caribe and Condado brands are operations with all the features of any international casino; Havana gambling halls are slightly smaller locations with slot machines and multiplayer games such as electro mechanic roulettes; and the Real Game brand is a product that offers appealing slots and videogames.

All the properties have outstanding customer service and care, personally monitored by Quintero, who has also led the region in the implementation of a major wide area progressive jackpot system. The Unidelca system is called ‘La red de la Fortuna’, and connects, at present, over 4000 gaming devices throughout the country.

Marcos Ramirez, Unidelca Operations Manager said: “Our customers love ‘the red’, including some foreigners, who say that it’s the only such system in Latin America. ‘La red de la Fortuna’ offers seven different kinds of progressive jackpots, paid on an almost daily basis throughout our casinos. We want to create a relationship of win and win, for us and for our suppliers, and want to feel their support. We also want them to know that we support them. This is why we work with only with the best products.”

Unidelca’s working policy is best reflected by the strategic alliances they make in the industry. As well as being WMS Gaming distributor for Colombia, they own a factory to assemble slots in the country through subsidiary Innovation to manufacture Boss Gaming Evolution R-09, the latest electronic roulettes that are taking the regional market by storm, made by GreatPlan Limited from the United Kingdom.

Linda Monzon, GreatPlan president said: “Unidelca needed a good product to go hand in hand with their immediate and their near-future plans. They are convinced of the quality of best selling products for reliability, which is why we are placing, in this first stage of our new relationship, 50 units of our best selling product Boss Gaming Evolution R-09. We have now set up a technical department and sales office in the free zone of Bogotá, where we shall also manufacture, and take care of the rest of South America.”

UNIDELCA’S PLANS FOR THE NEAR FUTURE

In the city of Medellin, cradle of the Colombian fashion and worldrenowned painters, such as Fernando Botero, and his larger-than-life art, Unidelca is developing the most ambitious project of the region: The La Playa entertainment complex is a Hotel, Casino, Convention Center right in the heart of the city. The casino area will have over 5000m2, an area for entertainment shows, restaurants and bespoke private parking. The company has engaged American firm Wimberly to take charge of this enormous project.

The La Playa entertainment complex will be set across a leading commercial mall, in some 60,000m2, with a 300-room hotel that will be managed by a leading hotel chain. This quantum leap by Unidelca has been described by Quintero as: “The most important gaming and entertainment complex in Latin America, at a time when foreign investment is finding a welcoming home in Colombia, where security plays a major role.”

Indeed, on my fourth visit to Colombia in the past 12 months, the security aspect has been exemplary. Whether in Bogota, the capital city, lively Cartagena on the Caribbean, or quaint Bucaramanga in the interior, personal safety has been outstanding at any time of day or night. This may be one of the reasons for the increase in tourists to the country from 400,000 in 2004 to 900,000 in 2005.

We commented on this aspect to Carlos Quintero, who explained how the government’s efforts on people’s security in Colombia are paying dividends for the economy of the country: “It is true that we have had a difficult few years, when there were practically no tourists coming into Colombia. Nowadays, though, there is already a thriving foreign community in Bogotá, with businessmen and investors alike, taking advantage of our economic stability and tourist industry tax concessions, and this, of course, is reflected on the confidence that business has in the future of our country”.

Unidelca operates more than 5,300 gaming devices in the country, from leading manufacturers such as International Game Technology, Aristocrat, and WMS Gaming with cutting edge technology equipment. As the company grows, Quintero has moved on to gaming machines manufacturing and distribution, and some 25 years after he started in the business, has helped create over 1,600 direct jobs throughout Colombia, and is the leading operator in his country.

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend